Filling machine



March 3, 1959 TH-QMAS B SHIU 2,875,793

FILLING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed oct. a,Y 195e je a Z "w37 IINH'JF" 4875 1 /.a l

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March v3, 1959 FILLING MACHINE Filed 00T.. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ggg v i /NVENTOR- mdm 62% gy/@MMM A TTRNEVS.

THOMAS B. sHlU 2,875,793 l United States Patent O FILLING MACHINE Thomas B. Shiu, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 8, 1956, Serial No. 614,483

Claims. (Cl. 141-186) This invention relates to a filling machine and more i particularly to a machine for filling prepackaged ice cream sandwiches with ice cream.

Prepackaged ice cream sandwiches have `heretofore been packaged in boxes containing twelve sandwiches in two rows of six sandwiches each with the ends of the sandwiches open to receive ice cream. To fill the sand- 2,875,793 Patented Mar. 3, 1959 r'ce which the ice cream discharge nozzle is divided in a diversion block formed with meeting rectangular passages which terminate in rectangular discharge openings above the sandwiches for filling two sandwiches simultaneously and uniformly.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with lthe accompanyy the track and chain mechanism;

wiches it has been customary to use a manually operated nozzle to inject soft ice cream into the open sandwiches and then to close the box and store it in a hardening room at low temperature where the ice cream hardens. Filling in this way is a slow, messy operation requiring a great deal`of hand labor. Furthermore, with use of a manually operated nozzle, the sandwiches cannot be filled uniformly so that an undesirable product results.

It is accordingly one of the objects of the present invention to provide a filling machine which fills prepackaged ice cream sandwiches uniformly, rapidly and substantially automatically.

Another object is to provide a filling machine in which packages are fed step by step in end to end relationship on a track and are filled by an intermittently operated filling nozzle positioned above the track and operated in timed relationship to movement of the packages.

Still another object is to provide a filling machine in which the packages are fed by feed fingers projecting from an endless chain over the track on which the packages move with one package being supported between each adjacent pair of fingers so that the packages Vare firmly held and accurately fed,

According to one feature of the invention, the chain is moved step by step through an intermittent drive mechanism driven by a continuously operating power shaft and the nozzle is controlled 4by cams driven directly by the shaft. The intermittent drive mechanism is preferably a pawl and ratchet unit constructed to produce a series of uniform steps equal to the number of sandwiches lengthwise of a package and then a longer step to span the ends of adjacent finger between them.

A further object is to provide a filling machine in which the packages are moved along a straight track by a chain trained over spaced sprockets at one side of the track and in which the track includes a feed section at one end elevated above the track and connected to it through a sharp shoulder which will engage the folded ends of the packages to hold them folded.

A still further object is to provide a filling machine in which the nozzle includesan air operated valve for sudden opening and closing to discharge the ice cream in rapid slugs or spurts with a minimum of drip.

According to a feature of the invention the nozzle is controlled electrically by switches operated by cams on the main driving shaft, the cams being adjustable to control the quantity of ice cream discharged at each operation. 2 Yet another object is to provide a filling machine in Figure 5 is a perspective View showing the complete feed mechanism;

Figure 6 is a partial View on the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a partial view on the line 7-7 of Figure 5.

The machine as shown is adapted to fill prepackaged ice cream sandwiches of the type illustrated in Figures l and 4. Such packages comprise a rectangular box indicated generally at 10 having side and end flaps at the t open top thereof and containing twelve unfilled sand wiches. Each sandwich, as best seen in Figure 4, comprises a pair of wafers 1,1 held in spaced relationship by cardboard side strips 12 and enclosed in a bag of waxed paper or the like. The sandwiches are supported in the box 10 in two rows of six sandwiches each with the upper ends ofthe sandwiches open to be filled with ice cream in the space between the wafers. When so filled, the top end flaps on the boxas shown at 13 may be folded over the sandwiches and the side flaps 14 may be folded over the end flaps to complete the closure of the box. It will be understood that the flaps could, if desired, be closed and sealed by an adhesive, such as a heat seal or pressure seal compound.

The machine of the present invention is adapted to fill packages of ice cream sandwiches constructed as described above in a rapid, uniform and substantially auto- A straight line movement.

packages and the feed '5 matic manner. The machine comprises an elongated straight track 15 which may be formed by a pair of connected angle bars spaced apart to receive boxes of sandwiches between them and to support the sandwichesfor At one end of the track a feed section is provided formed by a plate 16 spaced above the bottom of the track and connected to the track through an abrupt shoulder 17 which is of a sufcient height to engage an end flap 13 on a package and hold it folded during feeding. At the feed end, `the track may flare out, as illustrated at 18, for ease of inserting the packages.

To advance the packages along the track a feed chain 19 is provided trained over sprockets 20 and 21 lying beside the track 1S so that there will be a straight run of chain adjacent and parallel to one side of the track. The chain 19 carries a series of feed fingers 22 which are rigidly secured to the chain and project outward therefrom at right angles. The feed fingers arey of a length to extend over the track so that they will engage the packages thereon and are spaced apart a distance equal to the length of a package so that there will be one package between each adjacent pair of feed fingers. The shoulder l 17 lies substantially opposite to and in alignment with t the axis of the sprocket 21 as seen in Figure 4 so that the shoulder will serve to hold the end flap of a package fed into the machine in a downwardly folded position until one of the feed fingers 19 swinging around the sprocket aar/5,793

engages the end of the package and starts to advance it along the track. It will be seen that as soon as one package has started to advance a new package may be fed in over the feed section f6, and when its end drops over the shoulder 17 its end flap will be held by the shoulder until the package is picked up by the feed finger. At the discharge. end as the feed fingers start to feed around the sprocket 2t? they `will advance the end package rapidly due to the angular movement imparted to the feed nger by the curved sprocket to move a filled package rapidly away from the lling section for closing and sealing.

The chain is driven by drive mechanism as best seen in Figure which is powered by an electric motor 23 preferably driving through a variable speed reducer 24 whose speed can be adjusted through a control handle 25 to vary the lling rate. The reducer drives a main drive shaft 26 which carries a crankpin 27 at its upper end. A connecting rod 28 connects the crankpin 27 to the outer end of a pawl arm 29 which is rotatably mounted on a ratchet shaft 31. A spring pawl 32 carried by the free end of the arm 29 is adapted to engage notches in a ratchet wheel 33 secured to the shaft 31. A sprocket chain 34 connects a sprocket 35 on the shaft 31 to a sprocket 36 secured to the same shaft on which the sprocket 21 is mounted so that as the shaft 26 turns the chain will' be advanced step by step.

According to one feature of the invention, the sprocket wheel 33 is provided with six steps corresponding to the number of sandwiches in the length of a package with five of the steps being of equal length and the sixth step being of greater length as seen in Figure 6. The throw of the pawl arm 29 is sufficient to span the step of greater length so that for the shorter steps there will be some lost motion. The steps on the cam are positioned relative to the feeding fingers 22 on the chain so that the shorter steps will advance the chain a distance equal to the center to center spacing of theA sandwiches within a single package, and the longer step will` advance the chain a greater distance suicient to span the ends of adjacent packages in a series and the feed finger between them. In this way the packages are accurately indexed for proper iilling.

As the packages are carried along the track 15 they are iilled with ice cream in a relatively soft condition which is supplied direct from a freezer through a nozzle structure indicated generally at 37 which is supported on the frame of the machine above the track. The nozzle structure includes a control box 38 mounted on the nozzle structure and contains a val've and valve operating mechanism for the nozzle as described hereinafter. As best seen in Figure 2, the nozzle includes a supporting frame 39 having downwardly extending nipple 41 near one end thereof which terminates in an enlarged exterior bead and an internal sleeve portion 42. A hollow nozzle body 43 fits lover the sleeve portion 42 and may be sealed thereagainst by aseal such as an O-'ring as shown. The upper end of the body terminates in an exterior'bead, and the nozzle body may be mounted on the nipple '41 by means of a split ring 44 so that the parts can easil'y be separated for cleaning. The nozzle body is formed with a side inlet connection 45 to be connected to an ice cream freezer through conventional sanitary couplings so that ice cream under pressure from the freezer will flow into the nozzle body.

Flow of ice cream through the nozzle is controlled by a cylindrical valve 46 extending through the nozzle body and the nipple 41 and seating at its lower end on a valve seat 47 in the nozzle body. The valve 46 may be sealed at the nipple 41 by an 0-ring or similar seal as shown and is moved vertically to and from its seat by an air motor carried. on the supporting frame 39.

The air motor as shown comprises a cylinder 48 connected to the frame 39 and having a piston 49 slidable vertically therein. The piston carries a piston rod 51 extending upward through the frame -39 and connected by means of a bridging piece 52 to the valve 46. The valve 4 is preferably connected to the bridging piece through an easily detachable nut or the like so that it can be removed for cleaning.

The air motor is controlled by a control valve assembly illustrated as a conventional slide valve 53 supplied with air under pressure through a `conduit 54 and moved either to its upper or lower position by solenoids 55 and 56. When the solenoid 55 is energized, the valve will be raised to the position shown to admit air above the piston 49 and move the valve 46 tightly onto its seat. When the solenoid 55 is de-energized and the solenoid 56 is energized, the valve will move down to admit air below the piston 49 to move it upward, thereby unseating the valve 46 and allowing discharge of ice cream from the nozzle. Due to the air operation, the valve 46 will be moved very rapidly in both directions to cause supply of ice cream in a rapid slug or spurt to till the sandwiches and will be cut off rapidly to minimize drip. Air is supplied to the valve by a compressor 57 which may be driven by the motor 23 or by a separate driving motoras desired. The solenoids 55 and 56 are controlled by switches S5 and 59 which are mounted adjacent the main power shaft 26 and operated by cams on the power shaft. As shown, there are two cam rings 61 and 62 mounted on the power shaft by set screws or the like so that they are angularly adjustable thereon and each of the cams is provided lwith a single lobe. As the shaft 26 rotates, the lobe o-n the cam 62 will first close the switch 59 to open the nozzle so that ice cream can discharge therefrom into the sandwiches. After a predetermined angular rotation, the cam on the collar 61 will close the switch 5S to energize the solenoid 55 and close the nozzle. The quantity of ice -cream discharged during each nozzle opening is regulated by the angular spacing between the lobes on the two cams and the freezer pressure, and since the freezer pressure can be regulated to be constant an accurate quantity control is obtained by adjustment of the cams. When the valve 46 is closed, ice cream under pressure will build up in the nozzle and in the lines 'connecting the nozzle to the freezer so that when the valve is next suddenly opened a rapid spurt of ice cream will occur to fill the sandwiches.

Since the sandwiches are in two rows in the boxes, the discharge of ice cream from the nozzle is split by a diversion block indicated generally at 63 so that two sandwiches in side-by-side relationship will be filled simultaneously. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the diversion block is formed by two plates 64 and 65 tting together face to face and having milled out slots therein to define diverging rectangular passages 66 and v67. As seen in Figure 2, the passages 66 and 67 join at the discharge end of the nozzle body and spread angularly downward away fro-m each other to terminate in vertically disposed rectangular discharge orifices 68. The passages 66 and 67 are smaller than the nozzle discharge passage and preferably have a total area substantially equal to the nozzle discharge area and are videntical in conguration. With this construction it hasbeen found that icecream discharged from the nozzle will divide evently between the two rectangular passages and will be ejected vertically downward into the sandwiches from the nozzles 58 to fill the sandwiches completely and uniformly.

To support the block amounting plate 69 is attached thereto and carries a coupling 71 through which it is in turn attached to the nozzle. With this construction the diversion block can easily be detached from the nozzle, the nozzle body can be detached from the supporting nipple 41 and the valve 46 can be dropped out of the nipple V41 so that all parts can be easily and thoroughly cleaned after each lling operation.

The assembled machine as shown in Figure l comprises a housing or body 72 formedy of sheet metal and supported on legs 73 "at a comfortable working height. All of the operating mechanism with the exception of the chain 19 is enclosed withinv the housing and the chain is supported on the top of the housing at a level slightly above the level of the track 15 which preferably extends along one side of the housing near the top level thereof. A cover sheet 74 may be supported over the chain to enclose it, and the nozzle structure may be carried by a bracket 75 projecting above the top of the housing. The handle 25 for adjusting the speed reducer 24 projects through one side of the housing for easy access, and a control switch 76 may be provided to start and stop the motor. Additionally, handles 77 may be secured to the housing to facilitate transport of the machine where this is desirable. t

In operation the machine may be conveniently placed and the nipple 41 may be connected to an ice cream freezer through conventional piping connections. With the motor running ice cream will flow into the nozzle body and will be retained therein by the valve 46 until the valve is opened. Boxes of prepackaged ice cream sandwiches may be placed on the track and will be advanced therealong by the feed fingers 22 on the chain 19, the side flaps of the boxes being opened by a plow member 78 secured to the diversion block so that the sandwiches are accessible for filling. The machine is so timed through the ratchet and cams that at a time when the chain is stopped so that the boxes are stationary the ing a pair of cam collars adjustably mounted on the shaft and each having a cam lobe,` and a pair of control elements engaged and operated by the cam lobes respectively to open and close the valve in timed relation to movements of the chain.

3. A filling machine for packaged ice cream sandwiches and the like comprising an elongated track along which packages of sandwiches to be filled are guided, an endless chain having a run at one side adjacent and parallel to the track, spaced' fingers on the chain to project over the track, the fingers being spaced the length of a package to receive and hold a package between adjacent pairs of fingers, drive means including a continuously operating shaft, a ratchet wheel drivably connected to the lchain and having a number of steps equal to an even multiple of the number of rows of sandwiches in a package, a pawl driven by the shaft and engageable with the steps to move the chain step by step, a nozzle mounted above the chain to discharge ice cream into sandwiches beneath it on the track, the steps on the ratchet wheel l" being spaced to advance the chain a distance equal to nozzle valve will be open to fill the sandwiches immediately beneath the nozzle. After the nozzle valve has again been closed, the chain will advance the boxes one step so that the next sandwiches in line are positioned for filling. As long as ice cream is supplied to the nozzle and boxes are fed onto the track, the machine will continue to operate in an automatic manner to ll the sandwiches and to advance the filled boxes to a closing station where they may be closed manually or automatically as desired.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that this is illustrative only and is not to be taken as a definition of the 'scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A filling machine for packaged ice cream sandwiches and the like comprising an elongated track along which packages of sandwiches to be filled are guided, an endless chain having a run at one side adjacent and parallel to the track, spaced fingers on the chain to project over the track, the fingers being spaced the length of a package to receive and hold a package between adjacent pairs of fingers, drive means including a continuously operating shaft, intermittently operating mechanism connecting the shaft to the chain to move the chain step by step, a filling nozzle above the track, means to supply ice cream under pressure to the filling nozzle, an air operated valve in the nozzle to open suddenly for discharge of ice cream and to close suddenly to cut oli the flow of ice cream, and control means for the nozzle driven by the shaft to operate the nozzle in timed relation to movements of the chain.

2. A filling machine for packaged ice cream sandwiches and the like comprising an elongated track along which packages of sandwiches to be filled are guided, an endless chain having a run at one side adjacent and parallel to the track, spaced fingers on the chain to project over the track, the fingers being spaced the length of a package to receive and hold a package between adjacent pairs of fingers, drive means including a continuously operating shaft, intermittently operating mechanism connecting the shaft to the chain to move the chain step by step, a filling nozzle above the track to discharge ice cream into sandwiches beneath it on the track, means to supply ice cream under pressure to the filling nozzle, an air operated valve in the nozzle to open suddenly for discharge of ice cream and to close suddenly to cut off the flow of ice cream and control meansfor the valve includthe spacing between adjacent sandwiches in a package to bring the sandwiches successively into registry with .the nozzle and one of the steps being longer than the others to move the ends of adjacent packages and a finger on the chain past the nozzle, and control means for the nozzle operatively connected to the shaft to cause the nozzle to discharge into a sandwich beneath it when the chain is stationary.

4. A filling machine for packaged ice cream sandwiches and the like comprising an elongated track along which packages of sandwiches to be filled are guided, an endless chain having a run at one side adjacent and parallel to the track, spaced fingers on the chain to project over the track, the fingers being spaced the length of a package to receive and hold a package between adjacent pairs of fingers, drive means including a 'continuously operating shaft, a ratchet wheel drivably connected to the chain and having a number of steps equal to an even multiple of the number of rows of sandwiches in a package, a pawl driven by the shaft and engageable with the steps to move the chain step by step, a nozzle mounted above the chain to discharge ice cream into sandwiches beneath it on the track, the steps on the ratchet wheel being spaced to advance the chain a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent sandwiches in a package to bring the sandwiches successively into registry with the nozzle and one of the steps being longer than the others to move the ends of adjacent packages and a finger on the chain past the nozzle, control cams driven by the shaft and including a pair of angularly spaced lobes, and a pair of control devices for the nozzle operated by the control cams respectively to open and close the nozzle.

5. A filling machine for packaged ice cream sandwiches and the like comprising an elongated track along which packages of sandwiches 4to be filled are guided, an endless chain having a run at one side adjacent and parallel to the track, spaced fingers on the chain to project over the track, the fingers being spaced the length of a package to receive and hold a package between adjacent pairs of fingers, drive means including a continuously operating shaft, a ratchet wheel drivably connected to the chain and having a number of steps equal to an even multiple of the number of rows of sandwiches in a package, a pawl driven by the shaft and engageable with the steps to move the chain step by step, a nozzle mounted above the chain to discharge icecream into sandwiches beneath it on the track,rthe steps on the ratchet wheel being spaced to advance the chain a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent sandwiches in a package to bring the sandwiches successively into registry with the nozzle and one of the steps being longer than the others to move the ends of adjacent packages and a finger on the chain past the nozzle, an air operated valve in the nozzle to open suddenly for discharge of ice cream and to close suddenly to cut off the flow of ice cream, and control means for the nozzle driven by the shaft to operate the nozzle in timed relation to movements of the chain.

6. A lling machine for packaged ice cream sandwiches and the like comprising an elongated track along which packages of sandwiches to be illed are guided, an endless chain having a run at one side adjacent and parallelI to the track, spaced fingers on the chain to project over the track, the fingers being spaced the length of a package to receive and hold a package between adjacent pairs of fingers, drive means including a continuously operating shaft, a ratchet wheel drivably connected to the chain and having a number of steps equal to an even multiple of the number of rows of sandwiches in a package, a pawl driven by the shaft and engageable with the steps to move the chain step by step, a nozzle mounted above thevchain to discharge ice cream into sandwiches beneath it on the track, the steps on the ratchet wheel being spaced to advance the chain a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent sandwiches in a package to bring the sandwiches successively into registry with the nozzle and one of the steps being longer than the others to move the ends of adjacent packages and a linger on the chain past the nozzle, a linearly movthe flow of ice cream, a double acting air motor connected to the valve to move it in opposite directions, a reversible control valve for the air motor, electric power means to shift the control valve, cam means driven by the wiches, conveying means to move packagedsandwiches to be lilled in a step by step movement along a predetermined path, each of said packages including two rows of sandwiches in side by side relationship, a nozzle above said path including a hollow body formed for connection to a source of ice cream under pressure, a valve able valve in the nozzle adapted to open suddenly for discharge of ice cream and to close suddenly to cut ott the flow of ice cream, a double acting air motor connected to the valve to move it in opposite directions, and control means for the air motor operated by the shaft to cause the valve rst t-o open and then to close while the chain is stationary between steps.

7. A lling machine for packaged ice cream sandwiches and the like comprising an elongated track along which packages of sandwiches to be l[illed are guided,

an endless chain having a run at one side adjacent and parallel to the track, spaced fingers on the chain to project over the track, the fingers being spaced the length of a package to receive and hold a package between adjacent pairs of lingers, drive means including a continuously operating shaft, a ratchet wheel drivably connected to the chain and having a number of steps equal to an even multiple of the number of rows of sandwiches in a package, a pawl driven by the shaft and engageable with the steps to move the chain step by step, a nozzle mounted above the chain to discharge ice cream into sandwiches beneath it on the track, the steps on the ratchet wheel being spaced to advance the chain a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent sandwiches in a package to bring the sandwiches successively into registry with the nozzle and one of the steps being longer than the others to move the ends of adjacent packages and a iinger on the chain past the nozzle, -a linearly movable valve in the nozzle adapted to open suddenly for discharge of ice cream and t-o close suddenly to cut oft in the body, control means operated in synchronism with the step by step movements of the packaged sandwiches to open and close the valve, a-diversion block Secured to the discharge end of the body including a pair of angularly divergent rectangular passages communicating with the discharge end of the body and terminating in nozzle openings above the sandwiches in the different rows respectively.

l0. In a iilling machine for packaged ice cream sandwiches, conveying means to move packaged sandwiches to be lled in a step by step movement along a predetermined path, each of said packages including two rows of sandwiches in side by side relationship, a nozzle above said path including a hollow body formed for connection to a source or ice cream under pressure, a valve in the body, control means operated in synchronism with the step by step movements of the packaged sandwiches to open and close the valve, a diversion block secured to the discharge end of the body including a pair of angularly divergent rectangular passages communicating with the discharge cnd of the body and terminating in rectangu-` lar nozzle openings extending vertically downward at angles to the passages and above the sandwiches in the different rows respectively.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 920,250 Blakeslee May 4, 1909 1,416,997 Taylor May 23, 1922 .1,482,467 Harrington Feb. 5, 1924 1,626,375 Alexanderson Apr. 26, 1927 1,993,367 Geyer Mar. 5, 1935 2,370,292 Davies Feb. 27, 1945 2,491,826 Meyers et al. Dec. 20,' 1949 2,551,419 Clelland May 1, 1951 2,789,588 Huntting Apr. 23, 1957 

